Patents by Inventor Charles J. Watson

Charles J. Watson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6068672
    Abstract: A fuel dosing system to provide a controlled level of cereum additive from an additive tank either within or external to a diesel powered vehicle's fuel storage tank. The present invention maintains a concentration of cerium that is optimized to assure proper regeneration of a particulate trap used to control particulate emissions from the vehicle's exhaust. The present invention determines the additive dosage required by monitoring the fuel added to the tank during refueling of the vehicle and responds with a proper dose of an optimized amount of additive. The present invention is self contained and imposes a minimum encroachment on the vehicle fuel and electrical system and may also provide appropriate alarm signals to warn of additive depletion and other possible malfunctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Walbro Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Watson, Lawrence E. Egle
  • Patent number: 4488807
    Abstract: A photographic printer light valve/fader control circuit may convert control data for conventional automatic solenoid driven photographic printer light valves to control data for high speed and reliable electronic photographic printer light valves and faders. The circuit is adapted to retrofit printers designed for existing solenoid driven devices and to convert the color and fade control signals received from a conventional paper tape reader to a form useful for electronic control of the angularly adjustable light valve vanes. The vanes adjust the mix of red, green and blue light in the resulting print and control fades, lap dissolves and the like. The color correction signals, received from the paper tape reader in a quasi-binary format, are converted into a conventional binary format and inputted at the proper time to two digital to analog converters which convert these signals into a form useful in controlling the angle of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventor: Charles J. Watson
  • Patent number: 4180321
    Abstract: A printer control unit utilizes a microprocessor and a random-access memory for storing color and cuing information in order to eliminate the need for continuously reading a tape during the printing operation. The printer control unit utilizes a single tape reader and the microprocessor is programmed to permit color tapes, cuing tapes or composite tapes to be read by the single tape reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Larry L. Langrehr, Charles J. Watson
  • Patent number: 4154528
    Abstract: A modular photographic film printer utilizes a direct current servo controlled main drive motor and belt drive to move a master film and raw film stock across printing heads without the use of intermediate sprockets. Film tension is controlled by tension control motors connected to the pay out and take up reels of the printer. The unit is modular in construction, and circuitry is provided for monitoring critical functions of the printer in order to locate malfunctions. Fiber optics are utilized in the sound track printing head to provide cool operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Watson, Walter Hrastnik, John W. Lang, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4108537
    Abstract: An electro-optic light valve is disclosed which is particularly adapted to be used in an additive color printing system for use on conventional photographic film printers. The additive color system utilizes a plurality of light valves, one for each of the monochromatic light beams, for controlling the color balance and light beam intensity of the printing light beam on the photographic film printer. A programmable, electronic control system is provided for driving the light valves in accordance with programmed color balance and intensity information. Closed loop feedback is provided from the electro-optic light valves to the control system to guarantee accurate execution of the programmed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Watson, Walter Hrastnik
  • Patent number: 4072419
    Abstract: A frame count cuer for controlling the operation of a continuous photographic film printer either of the continuous motion or incremental motion type. As the "preprint" film and the overlaying "raw stock" are passed through the printer, a signal is generated corresponding to the quantity and direction of travel of the film drawn across the exposure aperture. A counter is incremented or decremented by the signal and provides an integral footage and frame count of the amount of film passing through the printer. The information from a punched scene length tape is used to set a storage unit to the desired scene length and the setting of the storage unit is compared with the counter by a coincidence detector. Upon coincidence, a cue signal is fed from the coincidence detector to the printer light valve control unit. The light valves are preset with the information obtained from a punched paper tape in accordance with the predetermined preferred light level and the hue for the scene to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventor: Charles J. Watson
  • Patent number: 4045136
    Abstract: A control unit for a photographic film printer for printing motion picture film onto raw stock from a master preprint film. The operation of various functions of the printer such as color changes, fades, and the like, are controlled in accordance with a control tape bearing information for the control of the various components. Various cue signals indicating where the desired controls are to be effective during the printing process are provided by a notch or RF patch system, a separate frame counting system utilizing a separate film address information tape, or an integral frame counting cuing system wherein the film address information is provided on the same control tape with the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1977
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Watson, Larry L. Langrehr
  • Patent number: 4009959
    Abstract: A programmable exposure control device for use on a photographic film printer for producing special effects in motion pictures such as a fade-in, fade-out, lap dissolve or other numerous special effects requiring variations in printing beam intensity. The exposure control device comprises a mechanical shutter capable of progressively varying the intensity of the printing beam at any predetermined rate. A control system is provided for operating the shutter and includes a memory portion for storing preselected operating curves for a plurality of film exposure characteristics. The control unit is connected to a tape reader for supplying information to the control unit, for example, relating to the length of the particular fade desired. The tape reader also may provide information for controlling the position at which a fade or other special effect is to begin or end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1977
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Watson, Larry L. Langrehr, John H. Steiner